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Look Them in the Eye

In many cultures, it’s considered polite to avoid eye contact as a show of respect—especially to elders. But in North America, making direct eye contact is essential. It sends the message that you’re listening and are sincere. Maintaining eye contact during a conversation, even if it’s about the weather, will project an air of confidence and credibility.

On the other hand, if you don’t look somebody in the eye, they may start to worry and think something is wrong. Your motives become suspect and somewhere along the line a trust is broken. People will say, “I wanted to like him/her, but they just couldn’t look me in the eye.”

Successful business people understand the importance of trust in relationships and have perfected the skill of sending strong nonverbal signals. When they are engaged in conversation, they look directly at the person and rest their eyes upon the space between their eyes—at the point where the nose meets the forehead.